Mike E. Clark
Mike E. Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan. Clark has worked with musicians in various genres, including George Clinton and Kid Rock, but is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums. Clark has also produced solo material for members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, in addition to contributing production to artists signed to the Psychopathic Records label founded by Insane Clown Posse. Biography Clark was raised in Roseville, Michigan, and took an early interest in music. The first album Clark received, a greatest hits compilation by Sonny & Cher, was a Valentine's Day gift from his mother. Clark later discovered Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols and The Stooges. After graduating from high school, Clark took classes on music production at the Recording Institute in Eastpointe, Michigan, and soon got a job at the The Disc Ltd. Clark worked as an assistant engineer on Patti Smith's "Wild Leaves," the B-side of the single "People Have the Power," which appeared on Smith's 1988 album Dream of Life. During this period, Clark met Kid Rock, and helped produce demos that led to Jive Records signing the aspiring rapper. Clark's talent for producing hip hop music earned him the nickname "The Funky Honky". For Kid Rock's debut album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, Clark produced the single "Yo-Da-Lin In The Valley." During the recording of Insane Clown Posse's Carnival of Carnage, the group's manager, Alex Abbiss, hired Clark to produce the album, which featured appearances from Esham and Kid Rock. Clark continued to work with the group and various associated acts on its label, Psychopathic Records. Clark has also been involved with the production of albums by George Clinton, R. L. Burnside, and Primal Scream. In 2000, Clark began working on Dark Lotus' debut album, Tales from the Lotus Pod, and Insane Clown Posse's sixth and seventh albums, Bizzar and Bizaar, but had a falling-out with ICP. According to Clark, "It seemed like too much was going on, and I wasn't sure about the material. I needed a break. I was frazzled, we weren't getting along, so that was it." Clark produced four songs for Tales from the Lotus Pod; the album's production was completed by Twiztid producer Fritz the Cat. Clark and rapper Prozak formed the group Project: Deadman, releasing its debut album, Self Inflicted, in 2004, and touring the United States for six months. That year, Clark became a full-time engineer for Kid Rock. Clark contracted pneumonia, but ignored the illness, and began coughing severely as he awoke, leading to a three month stay in Mount Clemens General Hospital, during which one of his lungs collapsed three times. As the result of his near-death experience, Clark decided to reconcile with Bruce and Utsler. Phone conversations between Clark and Insane Clown Posse led to Clark producing Utsler's 2006 solo album F.T.F.O. In 2007, Clark produced the Kid Rock single "All Summer Long," which was musically based upon a mashup of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama." The same year, Clark produced Insane Clown Posse's tenth album The Tempest, but did not work with the group directly. In 2009, Clark produced the group's eleventh studio album, Bang! Pow! Boom!, the first album which Clark worked on directly with Bruce and Utsler since Bizaar. Musical and production style Clark's production style has been the subject of appraisal, as some critics view Clark's production as being the most appealing element of Insane Clown Posse's music. In his review of The Amazing Jeckel Brothers, Rolling Stone writer Barry Walters wrote that Clark's production incorporates elements of "carnival organ riffs, power chords and shotgun blasts...banjolike plucking and Van Halen-esque guitar squeals," but "no musical sleight of hand can disguise the fact that Shaggy and J remain the ultimate wack MCs." In Allmusic's review of The Tempest, David Jeffries wrote that Clark "cleverly borrows from whatever genre he feels like" and that "there's no denying that Clark's vision does wonders for the duo." References External links *Official website Clark, Mike Clark, Mike Clark, Mike